The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-23
POPULAR SCIENCE.

Professor W. Mattieu Williams main
tains that the tidal waves. rushes of the
sea, and other phenomena of the kind
observable in connection with earth.
quakes, are not affections of the sea, but
of the land.
Professor Herzen has recently shown,
from vlvisectional experiments, the init
mate relation between cold and touch,
and that an injury to the cortex of the
brain that destroys the sense of touch in
any region will usually also abolish cor
respondingly the sense Of cold.
Professor Thurston says when drop
of oil is placed upon the surface of water
it first rapidly spreads in all directions,
forming film of exceeding tcnuity, and
affecting the waves as asheet or carpet
of thin, flexible. elastic, and yet tenacious
substance, like rubber, had been spread
over the waves.
The healing-springs of Bosnia and
Herzegovina seemed destined to occupy
prominent place among the health re-
sorts of the world. Professor Ludwig.
of Vienna, in the course of or official
journey recently, discovered over fifty
medicinal springs. The best are those at
Banjaluka, Scrajewo, and Dolnia Tuzla.
The Investigations of Haberlandt show
that the poisoning by nettles and allied
plants is not due to the presence in the
needless of for.nic acid, as has here
tofore been supposed, bnt to the pres
ence of an unorganized ferment. The
substance is albuminous, and, when
coagulated, losing its power of produc-
ing irritation.
It is said that the more rapid de-
terioration Of muth of the iron of late
make arises from the fact that it con-
tains more impurities than formerly.
The common iron Of to-day is filled
with Stag, and looks coarse and fbrous
when rusted or worn. Fifty years ago
the iron made in the United States was
largely charcoal iron, and was much
purer and better than the same grades
made at the present day.
The method of vultures in finding
carrion is seen by their habits of distrib-
uting themselves like sentinels over wide
tracts of country. Their keen eyes, as
they circle over miles of territory, scan
every object, te!egraphing to the adjoin-
ing sentinel, many miles away, the dis
covery of prey. In this way, during the
Crimean war, it is said that the vultures
of Northern Africa focked in scores
around the contending amies, coming
from thousands of miles.
Mr.. J. Mcneil, OF Indiana University,
mentions a long-horned beetle which.
lived no less than nineteen years, and
probably more than twenty, in an ash
door sill. Two similar cases of remark
able longevity in beetles are recorded BY
Packard. A specimen of the common
pine-borer lived more than fifteen years
in pine bureau; and three beetles came
from an apple tree table, the first after .
residence therein of twenty years and the
last of twenty-eight years.
The contagiousness of lcprosy, says
Science, has for long time been mooted
question. The loyal College of Physi-,
clans, in order to obtain the best informa-
ton on this subject, sent inquiries to
physicians throughout the world, whose
practice had brought them in contact
with the disease, and whose opinions
would therefore be of value. Thirteen
of these have no doubt of its contagious
ness, and thirty-four entertain no doubt
of its -contagiousness. Twelve re-,
garded leprosy and syphilis as being in.
timately related; twenty one believed
there was no relation. Most of those to
whom the inquiries were sent regard lep-
rosy as hereditary. and also that it may
originate spontaneously under suitable
conditions.